Trick or treat
by pesi
Summary: Sara causes chaos in the lab with trick or treat only no one realizes someone is playing a dangerous trick on the lab putting the CSI’s lives danger.
1. Chapter 1

**Trick or Treat?**

**Summery: Sara causes chaos in the lab with trick or treat only no one realizes someone is playing a dangerous trick on the lab putting the CSI's lives danger.**

"It's Halloween, when all the nut jobs come out. How can I be stuck here?" moaned Sara while placing a hand full of gummy worms into her mouth.

"Firstly, I think the nut jobs come out all the time but traditionally the full moon," smiled Greg licking a sugar coated sweet. "And secondly, you're stuck in the lab because you maxed out on overtime helping Grissom with that bug thing," The lanky male concluded waving a chocolate beetle in the front of her face. The pair were sitting in the break room surrounded by boxes of sweets.

"Where did you get these again?" asked Sara while looking through a box.

"Grateful citizen," Greg said sceptically not giving anything away.

"Sidle," Ecklie froze as did the pair of CSI's when he entered the room. "I was going to cut you some slack and let you help Willow's but it seems you've got a party going on."

"Gummy worm?" asked Sara unable to resist winding Ecklie up.

"You're supposed to be doing paperwork," said Ecklie taking on an annoyed tone.

"I was. I am; it under here," Sara began knocking things over as she searched for her file.

"Whose are these?"

"Mine," said Sara knowing Ecklie was mad; she could practically see the steam coming from his ears.

"You're breaking about five lab policies having it here so it's going in my office until you get off shift. Furthermore, I suggest you have that paperwork done Sidle. You don't get off easy with me. Archie take these to my office," bellowed Ecklie who had been getting louder and louder as he went on with his tangent, much to the amusement of Hodges who was silently watching from the trace lab.

"Sorry," apologized Archie as he picked up a couple of boxes. "Wendy could do with some help if you want something to do."

Greg was rather pleased Archie had interrupted and distracted Sara while Ecklie left because he was fairly certain if he hadn't Sara would now be up for an assault charge.

"What the hell does he mean?" shouted Sara as Greg got up. "I don't get away with anything. Grissom doesn't treat me differently."

"We know that Sara and so does he. He's just trolling," said Greg as the pair walked down the corridor.

"It's Halloween. Shouldn't he be out in a cemetery or something? Isn't it a bog holiday for the devil incarnate?" Greg gave a snort of laughter that finally broke Sara's anger and a grin crept across her face.

"Hey, weren't you two eating more calories than the human body can handle"? asked Wendy as they walked in.

"We were but Ecklie butted in and took it," replied Sara as Greg pulled a face and ran his hand across his neck indicating for Wendy to dropt he subject.

"He confiscated your candy? Maybe he's going to give it to all the trick or treaters," she said shrugging her shoulders.

"That's it," beamed Sara hitting Greg on the back. "Trick or Treat." She announced leaving the room.

"I'm guessing she's already hit the E numbers," smiled Wendy as Greg gave a confused look and followed Sara; deciding whatever she was doing was probably more interesting than being back in the lab.

"Sara!" called Greg as he jogged down the corridor to catch up with her. "What are we doing?" he asked with a childish enthusiasm.

"If Ecklie wants to treat me like I'm in school I'll act like it," replied Sara with a half smile as she stopped outside Grissom's office.

"So we're doing what?" asked Greg as he slightly reluctantly followed Sara into Grissom's empty office.

"It's Halloween Greggo. We're going to play trick or treat and Ecklie's earned a trick," she informed him, closing the door.

"Still doesn't quite tell me why we're in Grissom's office. In the dark," he added as Sara made her way across the room.

"We're in the dark so no one sees us getting Watson," explained Sara going to a tank on the back wall.

"And Watson would be who?" asked Greg examining the jars along the shelves, each one an experiment; some old and some current.

"His tarantula," replied Sara.

"Sara Sidle you have an evil streak! I like it." Smiled Greg. "Quick question though, does Grissom have jars like this at home?"

"Not many. Mostly just Lepidoptera," replied Sara opening the top of the terrarium.

"Lepidoptera?" muttered Greg looking at the jars for some clue as to what strange creature it was. He'd heard it somewhere before but couldn't place it.

"Here we go," beamed Sara holding out the spider at Greg who tensed slightly.

"It's not going to bite is it?" asked Greg as Sara shut the lid allowing Watson to crawl up to her wrist before settling on a spot to stay.

"If he was going to bite me do you think I'd be holding him?" asked Sara gently encouraging Watson back into the palm of her hand.

"I'm getting worried. You keep referring to it as him,"

"He's a he," replied Sara looking around the room.

"I think you and Grissom are becoming a bit too alike," Greg said knowing Sara couldn't hit him for a comment such as that while she was holding Watson.

"He wouldn't plant a spider in Ecklie's drawer," smirked Sara with a raised eyebrow.

"And are we just going to walk down the hall holding him? Because even Hodges might notice that."

"No, that's why I'm looking for box," answered Sara.

"What if Ecklie isn't bothered by him," asked Greg spotting a cardboard box across the room and retrieving it.

"He is. He always avoids coming on this side of the room," replied Sara with a smile.

"What if he squishes him or something?" asked Greg as Sara popped the creature into the box.

"I'll squish him," came her reply as Watson was shut into his temporary home. "Come on." Beamed Sara picking up the box and holding it carefully to her side as the exited the room. The pair wandered down the corridor towards Ecklie's office, Sara holding the brown parcel as one would a precious object; drawing some attention to them from passing techs who wondered what could be in there.

"Is he in there?" hissed Greg as they stood casually outside Ecklie's office.

"I can't tell the blinds are down. I forgot my x-ray glasses," said Sara sarcastically.

"Well, we can't just walk in," pointed out Greg looking rather suspicious as he pressed his face up against the window trying to see through a slat in the blinds.

"Sara what are you doing?" said Greg panicked as she knocked on the door.

"Seeing if he's in," hissed Sara. There was no reply from inside so Sara ventured in.

"And what if he was in?" asked Greg closing the door as he followed Sara in.

"I would have thought of something," said Sara opening up Ecklie's top drawer and pulling a reluctant Watson from where he had just got settled. She placed him amongst the files.

"Come on," said Sara grabbing the box and shoving Greg from the office.

Five minutes later Greg and Sara had a suitable viewing position form the DNA lab opposite Ecklie's office.

"I feel like I should have pop corn," smiled Greg looking up from the paper work set out in front of him.

"Here comes the main act," smiled Sara as Ecklie went into his office opening the blinds much to the delight of the two CSI' sitting staring. He'd only been in there a few minutes where he opening the drawer picking out a file.

"It didn't work," whispered Greg as Ecklie put the file down. It was then that Ecklie did a double take of the drawer immediately pushing back from the desk and standing. Ecklie took two steps back from the desk and side skirted the room before leaving.

"Now that was a good trick," laughed Greg as Sara got up and jogged over to Ecklie's office and retrieved Watson.

"Sanders!" both he and Sara froze as Ecklie called down the corridor.

"What?" replied Greg stuttered as Ecklie approached them looking flustered.

"Stokes needs you at his scene." Greg and Sara released the breaths they had been holding.

"Okay," said Greg almost running down the corridor. Sara quickly followed his lead returning to Grissom's office and placing Watson in his home. Turning around to leave she noticed something sticking out from the bottom bookshelf: Grissom's straw hat.

"What are you up to Sidle?" Sara froze as Catherine willows voice drifted into the room. "Ecklie's ranting about Grissom's pets escaping, care to explain?" she asked swinging the door shut. "And why are you holding that hideous thing?" she added seeing the straw had grasped in Sara's hand.

"So you don't like it either," asked Sara with a grin.

TBC ………….

**Lepidoptera is the scientific name for butterfly.**


	2. Chapter 2

"He stole my candy," Sara stated simply fumbling with the straw hat in her hand.

"Pardon me?" asked Catherine wondering if she'd heard the younger CSI right.

"Greg was given loads of candy and Ecklie stole it; said it was against lab policy. He practically grabbed it from our hands and now he's holding it hostage until the end of shift. Because it's not enough he's got me locked up in here," Sara finished her rant waving her hands wilding.

"Breath," instructed Catherine. "That explains the spider in the drawer. Whose idea was that?"

"Mine," grinned Sara. "Trick or treat," she added placing Grissom's hat down on his desk.

"What that doesn't explain is why you've got that thing," she pointed to the offending accessory.

"I don't like it; he's got a much nicer one but he prefers this one."

"Sidle, that's not an explanation," started Catherine." What are you up to?"

"I'm not sure yet. I was going to hide it but I've tried that before and he always finds it."

"He isn't our boss for nothing," smiled Catherine picturing Sara hiding the hat in various places. "What if it was damaged irrecusably due to small accidental fire?" Catherine suggested with a wicked grin that matched Sara's.

"Really?" asked Sara shocked Catherine would even suggest such a thing.

"Really, I've had enough of that monstrosity too. We'll burn it then say one of his experiments caught fire. He has enough of them," she added looking around the room at the various things set up in corners with wires and monitoring devices sticking out.

"Does your house look like this?" asked Catherine poking one of the jars.

"We have bees," replied Sara rolling her eyes." We also have honey, lots of honey."

Catherine couldn't help but smile at the slight note of despair in Sara's voice as she spoke of the hives in the back yard.

"Well, next time I run out of jam to put on my toast I'll be knocking on your door," smiled Catherine. "That and I want to see where you and Grissom cohabitate."

"And why, can I ask, are you so eager to break the rules and destroy someone else's position?" asked Sara twirling Grissom's hat on her finger. "I'm his girlfriend, somewhere in there I gained the right to drive him crazy."

"You've been driving him crazy for years. You just haven't seen it," said Catherine surprising Sara with her insight and forwardness. "And I have read nowhere in the rules of this lab that burning a straw hat is forbidden. In fact, if we claim it as a genuine experiment I'm sure it would be encouraged."

"Ecklie's doing something," interrupted Sara.

"Politics are doing something, Ecklie's just annoying and enforcing it," corrected Catherine. "And as for this hat, every time he wears it and I'm with him I get funny looks. And once he felt the need to lend it to me when I lost my baseball hat."

"You wore it?" interrupted Sara again with a smirk on her face.

"He looked so proud that he'd 'come out from under the microscope and considered someone's feelings'," said Catherine doing a rather poor impersonation of Grissom. "I'd have felt guilty if I didn't. Anyway, he spilt human soup down my favourite pants so this is revenge," added Catherine finally coming out with the real reason.

"All valid points," smiled Sara. "But what's Ecklie up to with Hodges?" asked Sara wanting to know why Hodges had recently been seen in Ecklie's office on several occasions.

"Well while Ecklie left the room during my mandatory review," Catherine spat. "I spotted files on us all. Hodges is spying. It's like having school monitors running off to the teacher. You know, he even questioned Doc Robbins."

"Who, Hodges?" asked Sara confused.

"No, Ecklie. He's reviewing our status on the night shift," said Catherine annoyed. Partly because she didn't want the team to be split up again as Ecklie had already tried this and found out it didn't work.

"I used to be a hall monitor," said Sara suddenly. "I spent most of the time picking locks."

"You rebel," interrupted Catherine before hearing the reason.

"To get out the lockers I'd been shoved in," finished Sara. "This is our fault isn't it?" said Sara apologetically.

"No, well yes. The two of you should have told us all sooner but my guess is Ecklie would still have done this. But he's going to find no just cause to move anyone." finished Catherine in a definitive tone.

"Thanks," smiled Sara. "Now come on." With that Catherine had snatched the hat from Sara and placed it on Grissom's desks eagerly looking around the room for matches or a lighter.

"Whoa," Sara grabbed the hat from the desk. "Don't you think this is going to look little suspicious?" she asked sliding open one of Grissom's drawers and retrieving a box of matches.

"With all the things he's got cooking up in here, no." answered Catherine taking the metal bin from the floor and putting it on the desk. "We burn it in here, 'Oh no it's caught fire' we put it out," smiled Catherine pleased with her plan.

"And when Gil comes in and finds his hat burned to a cinder we say it jumped in the bin?" asked Sara placing the hat in there all the same.

"He's a good CSI but I don't think even he could reconstruct his hat from ashes," smiled Catherine as Sara pulled out a match.

"Hang on," Catherine grabbed her bottle of water from the side where she'd put it when she walked in. "Okay now," grinned Catherine. Sara struck the match and dropped it on top of the straw hat. It took a little while for it to start but once it had it spread into flames quite impressively. In fact, so impressively they probably should have looked at what was in the bin under the paper.

"Red smoke?" shouted Catherine surprised as the grey smoke billowing out turned tinged red.

"Red creeper. Damn," cursed Sara seeing the powers bubble up under the flames.

"Put it out," she demanded as Catherine threw her water; it turned out that was not quite enough and the smoke alarm began beeping.

"We didn't think this through," said Catherine as both she and Sara looked for something to throw over and smoother the fire. It was at that moment the door burst open and the room filled with white smoke choking both Catherine and Sara. As the smoke cleared Hodges was standing in the doorway coughing and brandishing a fire extinguisher.

"What the hell?" shouted Catherine coughing.

"I didn't see you. There was a fire," said Hodges looking at the bin on the desk.

"God, what the hell?" Asked Sara as her sentence was interrupted as she had a coughing fit.

"Move," said Catherine pushing by Hodges and into the hallway which was now crowded with lab techs.

"It's a co2 extinguisher," said Hodges dropping it with a clang.

"Are you okay what was on fire?" asked Archie as Catherine and Sara emerged from the room coughing.

"Experiment," replied Catherine.

"Why's the bin on the desk?" asked Hodges suspiciously.

"It caught fire. We moved it to stop it from spreading then super Hodges here came charging in head first," explain Catherine giving Sara a little smile to show how pleased she was at coming up with that story.

"You better not have killed anything with that," coughed Sara taking the glass of water offered to her by Mandy.

"Killed, what?" asked Hodges.

"WHAT THE HECKS GOING ON?" shouted Ecklie over the din of muttering lab techs and the alarm currently sounding. "Get that thing turned off," he bellowed. And call the fire brigade, let them know it's a false alarm," he stopped in front of Catherine and Sara.

"My office now. You too Hodges," he added turning and stomping back off down the corridor. The lab techs who had been in the process of evacuating when Hodges went in with his extinguisher decided it was best to busy themselves again and quickly disappeared from the corridor.

"Great," muttered Sara as her and Catherine trudged off towards Ecklie's office Hodges behind them muttering constantly. By the time they arrived Ecklie was on the phone having a rather heated discussion that didn't seem to be going too well for him. The CSI's hung around in the doorway causing Ecklie to jump slightly when he turned.

"Get an incident report to me by the end of the day," barked Ecklie. With that the three left.

"Great plan Cath," sighed Sara as Hodges left.

"I'm not the one causing chaos," replied Catherine as her phone began to beep. After a quick conversation Catherine flipped her phone shut.

"Sorry, get out of jail free. Nick needs some help," smiled Catherine.

"More? How big is this scene?" asked Sara.

"We just found a possible second scene," said Warrick from somewhere behind the pile of evidence boxes he was carrying.

"Car with a trail of blood a coupe of block away; cars been towed back to the lab now," said Warrick as Sara took a box from him.

"Well, at least I've got something to do now," sighed Sara.

"Enjoy," grinned Catherine waving as she left.

**TBC ……………….**

**Thanks so much for the reviews, I promise I will thank you personally if you leave one this time, cookies for all...**


	3. Chapter 3

As Grissom wandered into the halls of lab he feeling relieved to be away from court, finally. He noticed he was getting some rather strange looks. He had half expected Sara to pounce on him the moment he got there, not something he'd usually mind, but this was due to the fact she was confined to the lab and from what Grissom had heard there was a big case. At long last he reached his office, shutting the door behind him, he noticed a strange smell: burning mixed with something he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was then that he saw that his garbage bin had been placed in the middle of his desk. Striding over to it he discovered the charred remains of his favourite straw hat. He knew Sara would be angry but he hadn't expected his hat to pay the price, despite the fact he knew she disliked it. He couldn't help but smile though at the idea of Sara gathered around watching it burn. It was then he realised Sara probably wasn't alone and judging by the lipstick on the water bottle at the side Catherine was also watching the burning. He sighed, removed the bin from his desk, and found nothing better under it: paper work Ecklie had sent him. Looking over he saw his answering machine was blinking two messages; just as he hit play he saw Sara walk by so went after her leaving the messages to play to an empty room.

'You have two messages, message one. Hey Grissom, Brass said you were back from court. You'll want to let Ecklie know there may be gang involvement in my case. Something isn't right. I know what you'll say, stop working on hunches and work on the evidence but something about this scene feels wrong. Oh, Catherine says to tell Ecklie she'll be late for the meeting, said you'd know,' Nick's Texan accent rang out through the empty office.

'Message two, Gil. Meeting. Ten o'clock. All departments. The lab received a specific threat from the Blackburn family, bring Willows," Ecklie's cold tone was of sharp contrast to Nick's but he had reason to be sharp, the threat towards the lab was no joke, despite the phone call he received ending in the question, 'trick or treat?'

"Sara," Grissom called out her name as he sped up to catch her before she joined Warrick in the layout room.

"Hey Gil," Sara only ever used his first name when she was doing something she shouldn't.

"My hat seems to have spontaneously combusted," said Grissom trying his best to sound angry.

"Yeah, about that. We were um…experimenting and it got in the way," said Sara sounding about as unconvincing as possible.

"Good, so the image of you and Catherine standing around my burning hat cackling isn't correct?"

"We weren't cackling," smiled Sara as a grin broke out across Grissom's face.

"Also, why, when I returned, was I accosted with messages from Ecklie about sweets and spiders?" asked Grissom puzzled.

"I'll explain later," smiled Sara.

"Hey, are you two going to help or stand and flirt all day?" asked Warrick hoping to interrupt the moment.

"Yeah, sorry Warrick," smiled Sara sheepishly trudging to go in but Grissom gently held her elbow.

"Cars arrived, maybe we should start with that?" suggested Grissom.

"Get away from this? Sure," replied Warrick dropping the bags in his hands. "But just don't try to hold my hand man," he added joining them in the hallway.

"Hand? Oh," Sara looked down to see her hand linked with Grissom's; it was an automatic response. They didn't even know they'd done it, so they quickly detached.

The three headed down to the garage where the beat up SUV was.

"Black, very original," commented Warrick. "I'll take the back."

"Front," said Sara quickly.

"So I guess I'm stuck with the outside," said Grissom as the three almost simultaneously snapped on latex gloves.

"Looks like they had a party," said Warrick opening the back door to a strong smell of alcohol. "No bottles left through," he added noticing the distinct lack of anything in the back despite the strong odour.

"Got blood," said Sara from where she was leaning in over the driver's seat. "No attempt to clean it."

"This was found a block away from the body. Why even bother to move it if you're not going to clean it?" asked Warrick spraying the back seat with Luminol.

"Maybe they had another vehicle?" suggested Sara swabbing the blood patch spread across the driver's seat. "No blood in the passenger's side, just the driver's. Maybe they were injured?"

"Or maybe the car couldn't get them any further," said Grissom making both Sara and Warrick jump as he head popped into the window on the other side.

"This is hardly road worthy; tired are almost bare; looks like it's been in more than its fair share of scraps." He said shaking the door that almost fell of its hinges as if to make its point.

"Why use a car that's so beat up?" wondered Warrick out loud.

"I've got blood drops," said Sara bending down looking under the steering wheel where there was a pool of blood. "And smudges," she added looking at the casing over the arm holding the steering wheel.

"No prints?" asked Warrick.

"Just smudges," said Sara noticing something white sticking out from underneath. It took a bit of contortion for her to bend so her head was under the seating with her flashlight in her mouth.

"Well I don't get why they took all their empties. It feels like they spilled most of it," he added taking his gloves off and poking the back seat. "In fact it's like the whole car has been doused in alcohol." Just as Warrick said that a squeak came from the front. Sara had removed the cover and a piece of paper had dropped out reading 'trick.'

"Get out!" shouted Sara spitting the flashlight out her mouth as she saw the wire attached to the casing.

"What?" asked Grissom now over by the desk looking at some paint he'd got from the car.

"It's a bomb," shouted Sara as she awkwardly fell from the car as an explosion rattled through the building. The SUV burst into a fire ball sending bits of twisted metal flying out like missiles.

Minutes before the explosion Catherine, Greg and Nick had arrived back at the lab. It was then alarms had sounded throughout the building and techs had come running shouting about the garage exploding. The three CSI's, completely ignoring protocol, ran in the opposite direction to the fleeing people almost knocking over Doc Robbins as he exited the smoke filed corridor.

"Have you seen Grissom, Sara or Warrick?" shouted Nick over the alarms.

"No," replied doc. "The fire's that way. You want to get out," he said but the three ignored him already knowing where their friends were. As they entered the corridor linking to the garage they were met with almost overwhelming heat. Parts of the corridor were on fire billowing black smoke. But just through the darkness Catherine could make out the 'sign in' sheet and the last three names on it.

**TBC ……………………**


	4. Chapter 4

"Sara!" Grissom shouted choking on the thick black smoke filling the room. Flames roared making it difficult to hear any reply not to mention the constant ringing in his ears; the sound of his ear cells dying.

In the initial explosion Sara had been thrown back from the car with the power of the blast. She and Grissom were now lying semi conscious on the floor of the garage as the fire ball burned in the middle. Bits of twisted metal and melted plastic scattered the floor and other smaller fires burned around them as the various chemicals in the room overheated or caught alight.

"Warrick," coughed Sara seeing his leg sticking out form the back of the burning SUV. Her left side stung like a giant graze. Getting no response from the other CSI she attempted to stand only to find her legs shaky and her lungs screaming in their need for more oxygen. She coughed violently on the fumes as she got to her knees, shards of metal and glass piercing her skin.

"War-rick," she choked out again.

He was aware of the intense heat but the pain coursing thoughout him made it difficult to think properly, let alone move. The car door was now twisted and hanging on but was still stopping Warrick from getting out; his left leg stuck out through the tiny gap his trousers stained with blood from where the door had dug in.. The entire front half of the SUV was up in flames and the back burned around Warrick, the fire getting closer with each second.

Reacting on instinct and without thinking Sara grabbed the door; the metal melding to the palms of her hands and finger with the intense heat sending a pain she didn't know was possible up her hands jarring her senses. But she didn't let go, although she wasn't sure she could even if she wanted to; her hands felt like they'd melted onto the metal. She pulled the door sending it to the ground with a bang. It was then she heard Grissom call out to her. She was having trouble making anything out through the haze of smoke and tears that had sprung to her eyes with pain and irritation from the smoke.

"Warrick. Help," she coughed trying to grab warrick's arm but it was too painful to touch anything.

Grissom moved blindly through the smoke crouching down as much as he could.

Warrick felt the touch of skin on his and tried to slide himself on his elbows but the heat and lack of oxygen made it much harder, yet, somehow he managed to slide back getting away from the heat, his leg shooting pain through is body with each movement. Then his support went and he found himself falling face first.

"Hello!" shouted Nick coughing as he inhaled the black smoke.

"Nick," Catherine had taken off the shirt she was wearing over her vest top and ripped it tying the torn material around her face so it covered her nose and mouth. She handed Nick and Greg pieces respectively and they too made makeshift masks.

Upon entering the garage a wave of heat and flames nearly forced then back. They knew about flashovers but the thought of their friends made all logic flee from their minds.

"There!" shouted Greg seeing Grissom stumbling around.

"Gil!" Catherine called to the entomologist avoiding the flames to her left.

"Warrick!" shouted Nick seeing the obviously injured CSI struggling on the floor inches away from the burning car. Nick immediately went over to Warrick's side and grabbed him by his arm, lifting him so the Texan supported his weight. "Walk man," shouted Nick not able to drag Warrick weight completely unaided. Warrick did as he was told helping Nick to drag him through the darkness.

Greg was trying to get Grissom out but he seemed more intent on finding Sara. It wasn't until he saw Catherine leading her by her shoulders he allowed Greg to help him out. The six limped down the corridor almost falling out the fire exit on the other side.

"Get an ambulance," shouted Doc Robbins drawing all attention to the CSI's now sprawled out in the parking lot. Warrick was laying up again Nick panting heavily, his t-shirt singed and burnt to his skin in places, his leg clearly broken. Grissom was sitting coughing as Greg held what had previously been his facemask to a cut on his supervisors head trying slow the bleeding.

Sara was leaning against Catherine who was trying to hold her wrists firm. Her hands were blistered and red raw, blood spots standing out on the burns. As with all burns they hurt like hell and all Sara wanted to do was rub them or touch something, anything to stop the pain.

"Sara, hold still," demanded Catherine finding the brunette stronger then she had thought. Sara's head wound seemed only superficial as did the few surface burn down her left hand side; not serious enough for Catherine to worry about at the time being. "David, take Warrick and Grissom," Al delegated.

"Okay, Greg, keep the pressure on that head wound. Any other injuries?"

"My shoulder but its okay, see to Warrick," said Grissom knowing Warrick was putting on a brave face, not showing everyone how badly he was really hurt.

"Okay, keep your leg still. We need cold water," shouted David as people scurried around handing them bottles.

"This might hurt but we need to get your shirt off. If it's not stuck," said David. Warrick nodded not able to speak without coughing.

"Nick on three," said David taking a side of Warrick's shirt and unbuttoning it as Nick did the same. He then silently counted to three and pulled causing Warrick to hiss in pain then cough.

"Here," Archie dropped several water bottles to the ground.

"Nick, keep pouring it on the burns," instructed David pouring the cool water over Warrick's torso.

"Cath, try and keep her still," said Al, out of the corner of his eye he could see Grissom fighting with Greg trying to come over to Sara, but he was more use over there at the moment. Al took a bottle of water and poured it over Sara hands as Catherine tried to keep them under the flow.

"Damn," cursed Doc looking at Sara. The lanky brunette's lips were turning grey as her breathing became more rapid. Reaching out the coronor pressed his fingers against Sara's neck unable to use her wrists to find a pulse.

"Thready; she's going into shock," he said as sirens were heard in the distance.

"Lay her down and elevate her legs," he instructed Catherine as Sara became more agitated and short of breath. It was struggled to get her down and keep hold of her hands as the medics arrived.

Two of the paramedic's saw to Warrick and Grissom and loaded both CSI's into the same rig. The other two medics came to Sara and loaded her on.

"Desert palms" said the man before Catherine could open her mouth to ask the question and with that the ambulances sped away.

When they arrived at the hospital the three were taken separate way, Grissom all the time asking about Sara. He was taken to a cubical, his head wound stitched, placed on oxygen and had his shoulder examined. Once he was cleared he was taken up to a ward; forced to stay overnight due to smoke inhalation. He was left there alone for around two minutes before the door opened and a nurse wheeled Warrick in.

His leg had been plastered and he too was on oxygen. A hospital gown covered his chest where his burns had been but Grissom could see gauze placed over one on his arm.

"Griss, she's tough," said Warrick almost reading his mind.

.It was twenty minutes later when another bed was wheeled into the side room containing Sara Sidle propped up on pillows, on oxygen and an I.V. running into her ankle. Her hands were dressed and bandaged; looking like she was wearing little white mittens. The laceration on her head had been stitched.

"Hey girl," smiled Warrick as Grissom got up dragging his oxygen tank behind him to see Sara.

"I see your bed rest lasted long," commented the nurse coming in to check on Sara.

"I'm okay," said Sara twitching her mouth. "Expect my nose is itching from this stupid tube," Grissom obliged sitting down on the side of her bed.

"You okay Warrick?" asked Sara.

"Superficial burns to the chest, broken leg and smoke inhalation you?" he asked reeling off as if it were a shopping list.

"Partial thickness burns to both hands, smoke inhalation and a couple of scratches," replied Sara in the same tone. "You're okay?" she added visually checking Grissom over.

"I'm okay," he replied smiling.

"Well, you are definitely on bed rest. Apparently you gave the ER staff a bit of a scare when you went into shock," said the nurse checking Sara's drip. Sara avoided eye contact with both the men in the room not wanting to see the worry in their eyes.

"This damn drips annoying. They had to put it in my ankle, but its good stuff," said Sara with a smile looking at the two men as the nurse left.

"Yeah, they gave me some earlier," smiled Warrick. There was a moment of silence before Warrick wheeled himself over to the side of Sara's bed lifting himself into the chair next to it; it padded and comfier than the wheelchair he had been in.

"I here you got those burns saving my life," said Warrick once he was sitting down. "Don't get me wrong, I'll never be able to thank you enough, but don't you ever scare us like that again. Your man here was going all emotional. I think at one point he even made an expression of worry," said Warrick getting a full blown grin from Sara.

"Speaking of worry where is everyone?" asked Grissom.

"We're here," replied Catherine swinging the door open and bursting into a fit of giggles. "I know it's Halloween but there was no need to dress up," she smiled as she took in the picture of the trio wearing hospital gowns.

"How are you?" asked Nick coming in.

"We're good," answered Warrick. "Thanks to our girl," he added patting Sara's arm.

"Presents," grinned Greg barging in with boxes piled in his arms. "Contraband candy," he grinned.

"Yeah," smiled Sara holding her bandaged hands out.

"You're not nil by mouth are you?" asked Catherine perching herself on the arm to Warrick's chair.

"No, give me," demanded Sara.

"Honey, you can't hold it," pointed out Grissom taking a chocolate bar form Greg and unwrapping it.

"How is that going to work?" asked Nick looking down at Sara's hands. "I mean eating washing, getting dressed, doing pretty much anything."

"Apparently I have to expect help. A physio's coming to speak to me later," answered Sara.

"What happens if you need the bathroom before then?" asked Greg getting weird looks form everyone. "Come on you were all thinking it."

"No Greg, we weren't," said Catherine shaking her head. "If you need anything just ask."

"Thanks," grinned Sara leaning forward to take a bite of the chocolate bar Grissom was holding out for her.

"Last time you fed me it was a lot nicer," said Sara partly due to the drugs and the fact that she forgot where she was. Now four pairs of eyes were fixed on her.

"Trick," said Sara feebly.

**THE END**


End file.
